Individual Member's Expenditures for the Fiscal Year 2008-2009
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House of Commons INDIVIDUAL MEMBER’S EXPENDITURES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2008-2009 OCTOBER 2009 Introduction The Speaker of the House of Commons, on behalf of the Board of Internal Economy (BOIE), tables the consolidated Individual Member’s Expenditures report on an annual basis pursuant to BOIE By-laws. The tabling of the consolidated Individual Member’s Expenditures report coincides with the tabling of the Public Accounts of Canada. Prior to tabling, Members receive a copy of their Individual Member’s Expenditures report for review and validation. In this report, fiscal year 2008-2009 expenditures cover both the 39th and 40th Parliaments as follows: 6 ½ months (April 1, 2008 to October 13, 2008) for Members of the 39th Parliament who did not return to the 40th Parliament, 5 ½ months (October 14, 2008 to March 31, 2009) for new Members elected to the 40th Parliament, and 12 months (April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009) for Members re-elected to the 40th Parliament. Seats identified as "vacant" followed by the constituency name are overseen by the former Member’s Party Whip, or by the Speaker in the case of an independent Member. This ensures that constituents continue to be served until the date of a general election or by-election. Prior to tabling, the reports for vacant seats are sent to the former Member’s Party Whip or to the Speaker, as the case may be. The individual Members’ expenditures are presented in two categories: Member’s Office Budget (MOB) and Goods and Services Provided by the House. The expenses reported are, to some extent, reflective of the characteristics of the constituency that each Member represents. For example, the constituency size and its distance from Ottawa would be determining factors with regard to travel, whereas the number of constituents and households in the constituency would influence the amounts spent for printing and office supplies. The Members’ Allowances and Services manual contains information concerning Members' entitlements, including a list indicating the basic budget and annual budgetary supplements for each constituency for the current fiscal year. Questions related to this report should be directed to the BOIE spokespersons, the Honourable Jay Hill and the Honourable Mauril Bélanger, or to individual Members. Once tabled, the consolidated report will be published on the Parliamentary Internet site, which can be accessed by the public at the following address: http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/process/house/GeneralInformation/MembersExpenses-2008- 2009-e.pdf. Page 2 of 4 Member’s Office Budget (MOB) Effective April 1, 2008, the basic annual Member’s Office Budget for all constituencies was $280,500 (prorated to $129,880 for new Members elected on October 14, 2008). Members who represent densely populated constituencies receive an Elector Supplement, ranging from $8,570 to $51,370 (prorated amount of $3,970 to $23,790 for new Members elected on October 14, 2008). Also, due to the election, some re-elected Members received an adjusted Elector Supplement. Members who represent constituencies of 500 square kilometres or more receive a Geographic Supplement, ranging from $4,740 to $52,120 (prorated amount of $2,190 to $24,130 for new Members elected on October 14, 2008). Members who represent constituencies listed in Schedule 3 of the Canada Elections Act receive an additional supplement of $16,580 or $19,900 (prorated to $7,680 or $9,210 for new Members elected on October 14, 2008). The MOB is used as follows: (1) STAFF AND OTHER EXPENSES ─ includes employee salaries, service contracts and constituency office operating expenses such as utilities, telephone service for secondary constituency offices, additional cellular and Personal Digital Assistant (BlackBerry) services in excess of goods and services provided by the House (as well as airtime and data plans), furniture and computer equipment. This item also includes a Miscellaneous Expenditures Account of up to 3% of the Member’s Office Budget for certain hospitality expenses and gifts given for reasons of official protocol. (2) TRAVEL ─ includes travel, accommodation, meal and incidental expenses incurred by the Member and the Member’s employees, designated traveller and/or dependant(s) within the constituency or the province or territory in which the constituency is located. It also includes certain transportation expenses incurred by the Member within the National Capital Region, as well as accommodation, meal and incidental expenses incurred by employees on parliamentary business trips within Canada specifically authorized by the Board of Internal Economy. (3) ADVERTISING ─ allows Members to communicate with their constituents about their office location and contact information, assistance and services they provide and meeting announcements related to the discharge of their constituency functions, and to issue congratulatory messages or greetings to constituents and opinions or statements in support of their parliamentary functions. The Advertising Expenses Account is limited to 10% of the Member’s Office Budget. (4) OFFICE LEASE ─ rental of constituency office(s). Page 3 of 4 Goods and Services Provided by the House The following costs are charged to House Administration central budgets: (5) TRAVEL (a) each Member is allowed a maximum of 64 return trips each fiscal year between Ottawa and their constituency and other parts of Canada (30 return trips on a prorated basis for all Members elected on October 14, 2008 ). Four (4) of these trips can also be used to travel to Washington, D.C., and the point of departure must be Ottawa, the Member’s constituency or the American border airport closest to their constituency. Opposition Party Leaders are entitled to an additional 16 return trips for a total of 80 return trips (7 return trips on a prorated basis for Opposition Party Leaders elected on October 14, 2008 for a total of 37 return trips); (b) while in travel status, each Member may be reimbursed for private or rented accommodation and for meals and incidental expenses up to the per diem rate, to a maximum of $25,092 per fiscal year (prorated to $11,620 for new Members elected on October 14, 2008). (6) TELEPHONE ─ four lines, one fax line and one toll-free number for the primary constituency office telephone services and long-distance charges; a maximum of four wireless devices and services with three voice plans and one data plan. (7) PRINTING (a) Householders – printed materials sent by Members (up to four householders per calendar year) to inform their constituents about parliamentary activities and issues; (b) Ten Percenters (additional householders) – printed or photocopied material reproduced in quantities not exceeding 10% of the total number of households in a Member’s constituency; (c) Ten Percenter Regrouping (additional householders) – some or all Members in a recognized party collectively submit, via their Whip’s office, an identical ten-percenter request; up to one regrouping per month is allowed, to a maximum of 10% of the total households represented by the Members submitting the request. (8) OFFICE SUPPLIES ─ for the Ottawa and constituency offices. (9) CONSTITUENCY OFFICE FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT IMPROVEMENT FUND ─ Members may purchase, out of this fund, office furniture, equipment, computers and supplies for their constituency office(s) using House Administration standing offers only, up to a maximum of $5,000 per year (prorated to $2,320 for new Members elected on October 14, 2008). (10) OTHER ─ includes furniture, computer and communication equipment, software and renovations for the Member’s Ottawa office. Page 4 of 4 PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF INDIVIDUAL MEMBER'S EXPENDITURES FOR April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009 MEMBER'S OFFICE BUDGET GOODS AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE HOUSE CONSTITUENCY OFFICE FURNITURE & MEMBER STATUS STAFF AND EQUIPMENT OTHER OFFICE OFFICE IMPROVEMENT CONSTITUENCY EXPENSES TRAVEL ADVERTISING LEASE TRAVEL TELEPHONE PRINTING SUPPLIES FUND OTHER (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Abbott, Hon. Jim $280,105 $8,937$948 $14,400 $185,856 $11,251 $50,119 $2,183$4,999 $180 Kootenay - Columbia Ablonczy, Hon. Diane $229,488 $7,037$2,210 $38,057 $118,028 $7,627 $31,097 $2,001 $4,828 Calgary - Nose Hill Aglukkaq, Hon. Leona NE $32,254 $1,907 $3,810 $47,460 $5,286 $5,098 $2,060 $1,809 Nunavut Albrecht, Harold $247,774 $9,164$8,849 $25,376 $69,993 $14,511 $65,835 $8,984$1,986 $420 Kitchener - Conestoga Alghabra, Omar NR $144,133 $891$1,542 $22,024 $27,944 $11,462 $15,906 $1,452$1,125 $2,179 Mississauga - Erindale Allen, Malcolm NE $105,109 $1,433$11,014 $3,162 $39,489 $7,123 $19,891 $7,221$2,244 $788 Welland STATUS: Members were re-elected on October 14, 2008 unless otherwise indicated with the following annotation: DE - Deceased; NR - Not Re-elected (last day as a Member October 13, 2008); NE - Newly Elected (elected October 14, 2008); NSR - Not Seeking Re-election (last day as a Member October 13, 2008); RS - Resigned; BY - Newly Elected in By-election * Represents a constituency listed in Schedule 3 of the Canada Elections Act Page 1 of 64 PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF INDIVIDUAL MEMBER'S EXPENDITURES FOR April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009 MEMBER'S OFFICE BUDGET GOODS AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE HOUSE CONSTITUENCY OFFICE FURNITURE & MEMBER STATUS STAFF AND EQUIPMENT OTHER OFFICE OFFICE IMPROVEMENT CONSTITUENCY EXPENSES TRAVEL ADVERTISING LEASE TRAVEL TELEPHONE PRINTING SUPPLIES FUND OTHER (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Allen, Mike $216,384 $32,030$17,114 $19,560 $57,806 $16,252 $26,407